Class 5A Girls Final: Brewer 65, Valley 43

Brewer's Riley Northway celebrates her team's 65-43 victory over Valley in the AHSAA Class 5A State Championship high school basketball game in Birmingham, Ala., Saturday, March 3, 2012. (The Birmingham News/Mark Almond)

Valley won all year with its full court pressure, but Brewer beat the Rams down the court for easy baskets.

When Valley played zone defense, Brewer scorched the nets with a barrage of 3-pointers. Valley’s man defense resulted in more room to roam for MVP Riley Northway, who ruled inside the paint.

Fifth-ranked Brewer’s solution led to a 65-43 victory and the school’s first championship in any sport.

“I come into every game prepared to do what it takes to help my team win,” said Northway, who scored 23 points and grabbed six rebounds. “My team just played so amazing they couldn’t focus on just the post or the outside play.”

Brewer coach Ricky Allen knew midway through the third quarter that Northway was going to get the ball as much as possible.

“They called time out and I told our girls to look for Riley,” Allen said. “We were going to use her until she fell down.”

Complete game highlights

Northway didn’t stumble or fall and neither did teammates, who stopped eighth-ranked Valley’s dribble penetration game that had upset second-ranked Center Point in semifinal action and third-ranked Fairfield in regionals.

The Patriots (32-3) also got double-digit scoring from guards Courtney Oldacre with 15 points and Rheagan Harvel with 14. The duo handled Valley’s pressure and combined for three of Brewer’s six baskets from 3-point range.